Gilroy Councilmember Served With Recall Notice During Meeting

GILROY, CA — Gilroy City Councilmember Rebeca Armendariz was served with a notice of intent to recall her from office by a resident during Monday’s council meeting.

Kelly Ramirez, one of the organizers attempting to recall Armendariz after she was cited in connection with an incident at a Halloween party last year, presented Armendariz with the notice during the public comment session. A shooting at the party left one dead and three injured.

Another resident named Gabriela Mendoza expressed support for Armendariz later on during public comment, according to the draft minutes.

Armendariz is appealing the citations, the Gilroy Dispatch reported.

Related: Recall Effort Against Gilroy Councilmember Begins: Report

The recall process in Gilroy requires signatures from 20 percent of registered voters to set up a recall election.

An independent investigation found that Armendariz violated the city's host ordinance. Armendariz was issued 10 citations by the city in connection with the violations, while three others received four citations each, according to the report..

On Oct. 30 around 12:55 a.m., police received a 911 call of a shooting on the 400 block of Los Animas Avenue in Gilroy. After arriving at the large outdoor party, officers learned that an altercation had escalated into a shooting at the gathering.

An investigation commissioned by the city found that Armendariz also violated the city's Special Event Permits Requirement and her conduct involved the unauthorized use of the city's assets. Armendariz, along with her son and nephew, organized and planned the event, the investigation found.

The party involved underage drinking and public drunkenness, according to the report.

In a separate editorial, the Dispatch called for Armendariz to resign to "save Gilroy citizens the expense and trauma of a recall election."

Armendariz was elected to the council in 2020.